NJ GOP split over funding for Senate staffers

By MICHAEL PHILLIS

State House Bureau |

The Record

As Governor Christie’s national profile broadens as a consensus builder – from working with President Obama on Sandy relief to passing tuition equality – a leadership fight among lawmakers in his own party has become public.

Monday in Trenton, a Senate Republican leader claimed Democrats were playing politics by changing tradition and altering the way money is allocated to pay for senators’ staff. The allegations also betrayed an internal fight. Republicans who lost a Senate leadership battle voiced displeasure with their own party’s leadership.

The disagreement centered on the way an infrequently discussed pot of $330,000 is allocated to Republican senators. Each senator receives a baseline allowance of $110,000, mostly to pay staff. In addition, the minority leader has $330,000 to hand out to members as he sees fit – some receive more, some less.

This year, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, reduced the minority’s pool of money by 43 percent and ignored Minority Leader Tom Kean’s request for how the allocation would be divided among Republicans, said Kean, R-Union.

The reduction comes after an internal Republican power struggle. Behind the scenes, Christie supported Sen. Kevin O’Toole, R-Passaic, for the leadership position. But Kean managed to keep his title. Sweeney raised the amount of money allocated to O’Toole and some of his supporters, while reducinng the amount most other Republicans received.

Kean said Sweeney’s decision impacted service to constituents and was purely political.

“It is yet another abuse of power,” he said, adding that Sweeney’s actions were unprecedented.

One Republican senator accused Kean of playing politics with the allegations in a similar vein to the charges Kean leveled against Sweeney.

Senate Democrats declined to comment.

While Kean said typically the minority leader allocates his portion of the funds, it is technically up to Sweeney.

In a half-hour press conference on the matter after the Star-Ledger published the initial story, Kean declined to release the allocation requests he made to Sweeney.

Documents obtained by The Record show Kean sought to reduce the funding for two senators – O’Toole and his supporter Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman, R-Somerville.

Bateman said he was unhappy with Kean’s decision to reduce his funding. He voiced his concerns in much the same manner Kean criticized Sweeney.

“He is hurting the people that need it most,” Bateman said of Kean. “I hope [Sweeney’s] numbers hold up. I wasn’t looking for an increase but certainly wasn’t looking for a decrease.”

NJ GOP split over funding for Senate staffers

By MICHAEL PHILLIS

State House Bureau |

The Record

As Governor Christie’s national profile broadens as a consensus builder – from working with President Obama on Sandy relief to passing tuition equality – a leadership fight among lawmakers in his own party has become public.

Monday in Trenton, a Senate Republican leader claimed Democrats were playing politics by changing tradition and altering the way money is allocated to pay for senators’ staff. The allegations also betrayed an internal fight. Republicans who lost a Senate leadership battle voiced displeasure with their own party’s leadership.

The disagreement centered on the way an infrequently discussed pot of $330,000 is allocated to Republican senators. Each senator receives a baseline allowance of $110,000, mostly to pay staff. In addition, the minority leader has $330,000 to hand out to members as he sees fit – some receive more, some less.

This year, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, reduced the minority’s pool of money by 43 percent and ignored Minority Leader Tom Kean’s request for how the allocation would be divided among Republicans, said Kean, R-Union.

The reduction comes after an internal Republican power struggle. Behind the scenes, Christie supported Sen. Kevin O’Toole, R-Passaic, for the leadership position. But Kean managed to keep his title. Sweeney raised the amount of money allocated to O’Toole and some of his supporters, while reducinng the amount most other Republicans received.

Kean said Sweeney’s decision impacted service to constituents and was purely political.

“It is yet another abuse of power,” he said, adding that Sweeney’s actions were unprecedented.

One Republican senator accused Kean of playing politics with the allegations in a similar vein to the charges Kean leveled against Sweeney.

Senate Democrats declined to comment.

While Kean said typically the minority leader allocates his portion of the funds, it is technically up to Sweeney.

In a half-hour press conference on the matter after the Star-Ledger published the initial story, Kean declined to release the allocation requests he made to Sweeney.

Documents obtained by The Record show Kean sought to reduce the funding for two senators – O’Toole and his supporter Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman, R-Somerville.

Bateman said he was unhappy with Kean’s decision to reduce his funding. He voiced his concerns in much the same manner Kean criticized Sweeney.

“He is hurting the people that need it most,” Bateman said of Kean. “I hope [Sweeney’s] numbers hold up. I wasn’t looking for an increase but certainly wasn’t looking for a decrease.”